Airway inflammation plays a significant role in asthma. New strategies in the treatment of asthma are focusing on the reduction of this inflammation. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been successfully used in the treatment of several diseases with immunoregulatory abnormalities. The aims of this study are to: assess the efficacy of high dose IVIG in reducing the steroid requirements of patients with severe steroid- dependent asthma; determine whether therapy with IVIG is associated with improvement of clinical symptoms and pulmonary function in severe asthmatics; assess the effect of IVIG therapy on the patients' quality of life (QOL).